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The George and Dragon, Thurton
Last updated: 03/01/2009 07:00:00
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| The George and Dragon, Thurton. Photo:
Nick Butcher. | It is a village
pub with more than 400 years of history, but trade now is very
different for pubs like the George and Dragon in Thurton. Once
it opened at 6am in time for workers at the forge to have a
drink before they started work at 7am, and drovers would stop
there with their cattle and sheep between Norwich market and
Haddiscoe marshes. Now the challenge is attracting custom to a
village pub when drink-driving is no longer acceptable.
Like many pubs, food is an important source of trade,
but unlike some rural establishments, it has stopped short of
being a restaurant in all but name and remains a proper pub
where drinkers are welcome.
It re-opened last year
after a major refurbishment, having been taken over by the
owners of the Railway in Wymondham. A year on it has new
managers, which the website describes as “the perfect
opportunity to steer the George in the direction it should
always have gone but sadly failed to achieve”.
It
looks much the same as it did a few months ago - still a
traditional pub, though with fresher décor than many. One side
of the bar is mostly for eating and the other side for
drinking, but there is no rigid split between the
two.
There are several real ales, which on our visit
included Canary from Lowestoft's Green Jack brewery, and
another guest beer.
There are new menus, of similar
style to the previous ones but with some new touches like
takeaway home-made pizzas, and largely the same as at the
Railway. Overall the food seemed slightly better than our
previous visit under the old management. This is the sort of
place where you order and pay at the bar, and the food arrives
efficiently.
A starter of deep-fried whitebait was
lifted to another level by the pot of home-made tartare sauce.
While the ready-made kind always seems to taste of vinegar,
this was lovely stuff, creamy and with distinct flavours of
caper and dill. Cauliflower, broccoli and stilton soup could
have been thicker, but had a pleasing rich flavour with plenty
of blue cheese.
Main courses were hearty stuff. The
George and Dragon has a lengthy menu, but suet puddings are
something of a speciality, with flavours including liver,
onion and bacon or chicken and leek.
The Real Ale
Drinker had the steak and kidney, while I had the
Mediterranean vegetable version. They had hit on the right
thickness of pastry to deliver a pudding that was substantial
but not overwhelmingly stodgy, and a generous filling.
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| Inside the George and Dragon, Thurton.
Photo: Nick Butcher. | Mine had
chunky pieces of courgette, pepper and aubergine in a tomato
and onion sauce. We liked the touch of wholegrain mustard in
the pastry. Both came with chips (though we could have had new
potatoes) and cauliflower, carrots, and Brussels sprouts, of
which only the cauliflower was on the soggy side.
We
were both stuffed to the gills by this point, but felt duty
bound to sample the desserts, after a pause to find some
space. The George and Dragon impressively makes its own
ice-cream, which comes in a good range of flavours, including
mango sorbet or chocolate and marshmallow.
Unfortunately our waitress indicated that not all the
desserts are similarly home-made.
A sticky toffee
pudding came with the (very thick) custard in a separate jug,
which was a nice touch. It was light and almost
heart-stoppingly sweet, just as sticky toffee pudding should
be.
A chocolate brownie sundae ticked all the boxes -
warm brownie, apparently home-made, home-made chocolate
ice-cream, squirty cream, marshmallows and chocolate-filled
wafer straws. It was a chocoholic's dream.
By this
point the Real Ale Drinker was so full he could hardly move,
and even his final beer went unfinished. This is happens so
rarely that it was quite a victory for the George - albeit not
quite up there with dragon-slaying.
Where is it? The George and Dragon, The
Street, Thurton; 01508 48024;
www.thegeorgeanddragonpub.co.uk
Where is it? Just off the A146 at Thurton,
near Loddon.
Is there parking? Yes.
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| Food at the George and Dragon,
Thurton. Photo: Nick Butcher. |
When is it open? All day every day, food
served lunchtimes and evenings.
Do I need to book? Not usually in the week,
but for large groups or at busy times ring 01508
480242.
Are there vegetarian options? Yes, no less
than nine main courses including unusual dishes like a sweet
potato, parsnip and chestnut puree bake.
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